Some killer whales in the Gulf of Alaska have dangerously high concentrations of DDT and PCBs in their blubber, according to a new scientific study. Scientists worry that several pods of whales in the area could die off because of the industrial contamination, which may interfere with their reproduction. Both DDT and PCBs are banned in the U.S., but scientists say it’s likely the contaminants spread from Asia, where they are still in use. The pollution also may be leaching from U.S. military dump sites in the ocean off Alaska’s coast. In other whale news, a record number of gray whales are washing up dead on the West Coast this year, leading some scientists to believe the gray whale population may be nearing its carrying capacity along the Pacific Coast. If so, it would mark the first time a whale species that was nearly wiped out has rebounded to its maximum potential.
